UNITED STATES: Protests at US embassy's 'Gay Pride' promotion

The United States embassy’s participation in Prague’s “Gay Pride” parade on August 18 this year has provoked strong protests from pro-family activists in the Czech Republic.

Outraged by what they see as unwarranted US intrusion into their country’s internal affairs, the Czech activists have been among the 120 pro-family and pro-life leaders from 11 countries who have signed a strongly worded letter protesting at the US embassy’s political activism.

Initiated by the World Congress of Families, the letter notes that the Obama administration has made promoting homosexual rights, including same-sex marriage, a foreign policy priority. It observes the irony that those American left-wingers who complain ceaselessly about their country’s “cultural imperialism” are the same ones who support using American power to impose permissive left-wing values on societies with traditional values.

The letter states, “The United Nations has never affirmed homosexual marriage or rights”, and adds that the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights specifically says that “men and women … have a right to marry and found a family”. Family is described as “the natural and fundamental group unit of society” and, as such, “is entitled to protection by society and the state”.

It quotes the Madrid Declaration of the World Congress of Families VI (May 25-27, 2012) — unanimously adopted by more than 3,200 delegates from 72 countries — which reads in part: “We affirm the natural family to be the union of a man and a woman through marriage for the purposes of sharing love and joy, propagating children, providing their moral education, building a vital home economy, offering security in times of trouble, and binding the generations.”

The letter continues: “Regarding ‘gay rights’, those caught up in this lifestyle have the same rights as other citizens. This does not include the ‘right’ to force others to validate a lifestyle they find objectionable, for religious or other reasons. It also does not include the right of men to marry men and women to marry women. The foregoing pseudo-rights do not advance human freedom and dignity but debase them.”

For the full text of the letter and the list of signatories, see the WCF website at www.worldcongress.org

In its September update, Mass Resistance, a Massachusetts-based parents’ rights group concerned about the promotion of homosexuality in schools, reported the following.

It said: “While you weren’t looking … since the Obama Administration took control, the FBI and CIA, the two main federal law enforcement and surveillance organisations, have fully embraced the homosexual and transgender movements, and appear to be poised to crack down on pro-family groups and citizens who are critical.

“For example, the FBI is actively recruiting homosexual and ‘transgender’ employees and agents.”

MassResistance provided a sample of “questions and answers” for potential (and current) applicants to join the FBI:

“Q. Can you be gay and work at the FBI?

“A. Yes. The FBI does not discriminate against a person’s sexual orientation with regard to hiring decisions. To be sure, the FBI has open lesbian, gay, bisexual, and possibly transgender employees, as well as an LGBT Advisory Committee. The FBI welcomes and appreciates the contribution of its LGBT employees.

“Q. Does the FBI celebrate PRIDE?

“A. Yes. The FBI recently held an informal reception at FBI Headquarters and was proud to have Congressman Barney Frank as its speaker. Also, individual field offices are encouraged to have their own celebrations, educational presentations, or participate in LGBT community events.

“Q. Does the FBI have an LGBT Advisory Committee?

“A. Yes. The FBI recently formed the LGBT Advisory Committee under the Office of Equal Employment Opportunity Affairs. The committee is composed of both Special Agents and support employees and is represented by gay, straight and lesbian employees.... The purpose of the committee is to listen to the voices of the FBI LGBT employees and communicate concerns, policies and ways in which the FBI can recognise its LGBT employees.”

MassResistance commented: “Perhaps the most frightening aspect of the FBI is its official partnership with the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), which is itself a hate group disguised as a ‘tolerance’ group. The SPLC has defamed, libelled and outwardly lied about hundreds of pro-family groups and individuals, in addition to immigration reform groups, religious groups, people in conservative media, and even members of Congress. The SPLC has created and advertises its bizarre and offensive list of those it labels ‘hate groups’, ‘extremists’, and ‘domestic terrorists’ that even includes the Tea Party.

“Most recently, pro-life activist Peter D’Attilio, who simply holds signs and leaflets, has been informed by police that he is on an FBI terrorist watch list. The Family Research Council’s offices and a guard were shot by a gunman after the SPLC labelled them a ‘hate group’.”

With the US apparently unable to protect its ambassador and embassy staff in Benghazi, Libya, with Syria engulfed in a civil war which is threatening to spill over into Turkey, and with Pakistan aflame with anti-US rhetoric, one wonders at the priorities of the Obama administration.

The promotion of homosexuality and same-sex “marriage” is likely to exacerbate, not ease, tensions between the US and Muslim countries and also those countries liberated from communism in eastern Europe.

Babette Francis, B.Sc. (Hons), is national and overseas coordinator of Endeavour Forum Inc.